Patronis, Fine jump in congressional races.
Two Republican candidates for open U.S. House seats in Florida are able to leverage substantial funds from state-level political committees to support their federal campaigns, exploiting changes in campaign finance rules.
Until last year, Florida law prohibited transferring funds from state committees to federal campaigns. However, this shifted due to a 14-year-old U.S. Supreme Court precedent and actions by Gov. Ron DeSantis and U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds.
Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis is running for the Congressional District 1 seat vacated by former Rep. Matt Gaetz, with $6.8 million in his "Keep Florida Free" committee.
State Sen. Randy Fine, running for Congressional District 6 after U.S. Rep. Mike Waltz became national security adviser, has $1 million in his "Friends of Randy Fine" committee.
A similar strategy was employed by DeSantis during his presidential campaign, transferring $82.5 million from his state-level committee to a federal super PAC. This led to two complaints filed with the Federal Elections Commission (FEC), though the evenly split commission is likely to deadlock, resulting in no penalties.
Special elections for both seats will feature a Jan. 28 primary and an April 1 general election.
Podcast examines impact of climate change on Florida's home insurance market
Warmer ocean temperatures are creating environmental issues in coastal communities along the Gulf Coast.
That was the subject of the podcast Sea Change, which was produced by W-W-N-O in New Orleans.
WUSF reporter Jessica Meszaros contributed to the podcast. She reported on the impacts of climate change on Florida's home insurance market.
An expert from the Climate Adaptation Center in Sarasota warned that the state AND the building industry have been slow to adjust.
"Pretty much people just patch up whatever got broken from the last storm, instead of adapting to what's happening with the flooding, maybe putting in hurricane-force windows, putting back in drywall, which soaks up floodwaters like a sponge and leads to mold."
Meszaros said the state needs to take more of a long-term approach to what's being called a climate crisis.
Florida Today’s Citizen of the Year finalists
FLORIDA TODAY has announced the three finalists for Citizen of the Year. The Volunteer Recognition Award goes to those committed to helping residents across Brevard by addressing issues such as history and place and ensuring emotional and physical needs.
This year's finalists for Citizen of the Year are:
- Alvin Payne is devoted to children and senior community advocacy and supporting those with disabilities.
- Delores McLaughlin, a veteran of integral youth intervention programs in Brevard.
- Marion Ambrose, advocate for preserving Melbourne's history with community service and preserving the Green Gables estate.
This year's Citizen of the Year award winner will be announced this week.
Florida Tech Launches Coast Guard Auxiliary University Program
Florida Tech students now have the chance to train for careers in the U.S. Coast Guard through the university's new Coast Guard Auxiliary University Program (AUP), launched in partnership with the Department of Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences.
Based at the Mertens Marine Center, the program offers a pathway for students seeking officer commissions in the U.S. Coast Guard or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Commissioned Officer Corps.
The inaugural class of 12 students includes ocean engineering, marine sciences, computer science, and aviation undergraduates. AUP starts by teaching core maritime skills, including navigation, boat handling, emergency management, and FEMA incident management.
The AUP is open to U.S. citizens aged 17 and older.
More:www.floridatoday.com
